Mohammed bin Salman: women ‘absolutely’ equal to men

Defense deals will just be part of more than $35 billion in potential deals that could be announced during the USA trip, a National Security Council official told Bloomberg.

The visit comes as the United States and much of the West are still trying to figure out Prince Mohammed whose sweeping program of social changes at home and increased Saudi assertiveness overseas has upended decades of traditional rule in Saudi Arabia.

The prince is on a public relations blitz while traveling in the United States, with stops in New York, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston.

Saudi Arabia’s foray into nuclear power has sparked concern of a Middle East nuclear arms race. The atomic ambitions of the key USA ally and regional power are coming under scrutiny in Washington at a time of growing tensions between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program.

In MBS, Trump will find a sympathetic ear for his calls to crack down on Iran, Saudi Arabia’s archenemy, and strengthen a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran that former President Barack Obama and world powers brokered.

But he said that Iran was “far from being equal” to Saudi Arabia in terms of its military might or economic prowess.

Prince Mohammed praised the kingdom’s “really deep” relationship with the USA and said the Saudis are considering $400 billion in U.S. investment opportunities.

The spokesman said the crown prince is “outrageously” trying to pave his way to the Saudi throne.

“But Iran has not been treating that part of the world or the world itself appropriately”, he said.

The 123 agreement refers to section 123 of the 1954 US Atomic Energy Act, which establishes a cooperation agreement for nuclear deals between the US and any other nation.

The Crown Prince also likened Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to Hitler, accusing him of planning “to expand” the Islamic Republic’s influence across the Middle East.

“A lot of things could be tackled in the close future”, the prince added.

U.S. generals and diplomats are still struggling to calm tensions in the Gulf 10 months after Saudi Arabia led its neighbours in a trade and diplomatic embargo on former ally Qatar.

Defending the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, Bin Salman said that the Iranian ideology has penetrated some parts of Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have been continuously in conflict over Iran’s support for Hezbollah, Assad and the Yemeni Houthis.

A Gulf dispute pitting some Arab countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against Qatar will also likely be brought up at the Trump meeting.

Trump will press the Saudis “to take a key leadership role in the region and encourage them to help move this dispute forward”, the official said, adding that Trump believes it is critical that there is unity among the Gulf states and that he is concerned about the long-term impact of the crisis on the region.

Trump noted that when he was in Riyadh last May the Saudis had promised a Dollars 400 billion for the purchase of U.S. equipment.